For the train you can use either paper cards or the OV-Chipkaart (chip card used to pay for public transport)  The main tickets available are:

• Single ticket
• Return ticket
• Day travel card for the train
• Day travel card for all public transport (called Holland travel ticket)
• Bicycle day travel card
• Rail runner (cheap ticket for children aged 4 to 11 accompanied by an adult)
• Group ticket off peak hours (single ticket)
• Joint discount ticket off peak hours

You can find an overview of available tickets on https://www.ns.nl/en

Should you experience a delay of 30 minutes or more, you might be entitled to a refund.  Read more about this on the website of the Dutch Railways.

Via the website 9292.nl/en, you can plan your journey from door to door. All options, bus, tram, train, metro and ferry for your journey are given here. 9292 provides a helpful app in English. Bear in mind that most information in the public transport system is announced in Dutch.

It is possible to travel by public transport without OV chipcard. You can pay wireless with your bank card (pin pass) or mobile phone  if you don’t have any discount or subscription. This applies to all buses,  trams, trains  a  metros in the Netherlands. If you travel by train you can only pay with your bank card or mobile phone if you are travelling 2nd class and don’t have a subscription. More information is available on https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/en

Alternatively most of the train companies operating in the Netherlands offers the option to purchase your ticket online (e-ticket). For instance NS, the principal passenger railway operator in the Netherlands, offers not only the option to print your e-ticket but also to download it on your smartphone. For this you will need the ‘NS Reisplanner Xtra app’.

The most common type of bicycle is the omafiets (grandma bike). However, you will see a lot of other types of bikes, including the following: stadsfiets (city bike), sportfiets (sport bike), elektrische fiets (electric bike), bakfiets (cargo bike), and mopeds.

Grandma bikes and city bike  are most often used for everyday trips, including going to school and/or work, and running errands around town while a sport bike is a more convenient bicycle for longer trips.

An ATB (All Terrain Bikes) is most convenient for those who bike on difficult terrain. A special type of ATB is the MTB (mountain bike), which is not often used in the Netherlands because of its flat terrain, but it is convenient for cycling in the mountains.

An electric bike offers the possibility to get trapondersteuning (electric support while cycling). It is especially useful when it is very windy because you do not require as much strength for pedalling. Trapondersteuning means that you have to bike yourself, but the electric motor will support you. Depending on the type of electric bike, you can choose between no support, little support, average support or a lot of support.

A moped is a snorfiets when it has a light blue licence plate. A bromfiets rides on the roadway and can reach a maximum speed of 45 km/h. They have a yellow licence plate. By law, children younger than 8 years old can be passengers on a moped only when they are provided with a proper, safe seat that gives them adequate support for their back, hands and feet. It is not permitted to hold a mobile phone while operating a moped or any other electronic device. You are only allowed to use any device handsfree. This also applies to pedestrians . If you ignore this rule, you may get a fine.

Cargo bikes or bakfietsen are transport bikes with three wheels and a large front bucket. It is common to see parents transporting children around because the box is low to the ground making it is easier to transport more weight.

There are also four-wheeled vehicles, but they are not allowed on bike paths and have to follow the same rules as mopeds. They look like small automobiles and must have an overall weight of less than 350 kg (excluding the weight of the battery in electric vehicles). They can reach a maximum of 45 km/h and can be distinguished by their small size and a 45 km/h sticker that is displayed on the back of the car.

There are several bike schools all over the country that offer fietslessen (bike lessons). Most of them are called ‘fietsschool’  or ‘fietscollege’ (bike school).

The following laws apply specifically for cyclists:

• Cycling is not allowed on sidewalks or pedestrian-only areas
• Use hand signals when preparing to make a left or right turn. Simply put your arm out in the direction you want to turn
• It is allowed to ride alongside another bicyclist, but cycling with three people in a row is not permitted
• Bicyclists share the bike paths with snorfietsen (mopeds). Be prepared for them by cycling on the right side of the bike path so that they can pass you.
• Brommers (mopeds with a speed of maximum 45 km/hour) are no longer allowed on the bike path.  They have to use then main road. Snorfietsen (mopeds with a speed of maximum 25 km/hour) are not always allowed on the bike path. Signs indicate if this applies.
• Cycling is not allowed on highways
• Tunnels may or may not be accessible for cycling. If they are, there is usually a separate bike path
• Bicycle lights are mandatory, white or yellow in the front and red in the rear. You can get a fine when cycling without lights in the dark, at dusk or in poor visibility

If you want to ride a brommer or snorfiets (moped), you need to be at least 16 years of age. You also need to have a bromfietsrijbewijs (moped driving licence). A driving licence for a car is category B, for a moped is category AM. If you have a driving licence category A or B, you can ask to add category AM when you renew your driving licence. You don’t need to pass an exam for this.

Brommers (mopeds) must use the main road rather than the bike roads. They are allowed on the bike lanes only if explicitly indicated by the blue traffic sign displaying a bicycle and a moped symbol. Both drivers of a moped and passengers are required to wear a helmet.

Mopeds have bells for a reason! Use the bell to warn bicyclists that you are approaching them and need to pass them, use it to warn pedestrians who are blocking the bike path, or to warn anyone else who might be in your way! Do not park your moped in places that have signs posted saying “Geen fietsen plaatsen” (no bike parking).

There are several ways to travel to and from the railway station:

• By bus, tram or metro
• By bike or moped
• On foot
• By car (shared or rental)
• By taxi or shared taxi

For more detailed information about this topic, please visit: NSinternational.nl/en/to-and-from-the-station.